No one's consolation prize
by Ellabee15
Summary: Ororo is done cleaning up everyone's mess. Logan realizes how much she means to him.
1. Chapter 1

"Unbelieveable" Ororo felt a stab of frustration as she stood in the doorway of the bar.

Logan raised his head and squinted through his swollen eye at her. "Hey Ro." He grinned, and empty bottle of whiskey squeezed in his hand. "How you doin'?"

"Get up." she hissed, grabbing him by the collar and hauling him off the bar stool. "This is the 3rd time this week."

"Awww you worried about me?" he cooed, getting to his feet.

"It's Tuesday." Ororo muttered. Now that he stood, Ororo could see the large amount of blood on his shirt and drying on his chin and under his eye. Though the injuries had for the most part healed it didn't change the fact that they had happened.

"This 'snothing. You should see the other guys." Logan said, watching her assessment.

"I did." She growled, dragging him out into her car and throwing him in the passenger seat. "It was all I could to get the police off your back. You're so lucky that the bar tender told them that they attacked you." She glanced over at where Luke Cage was standing with a group of police officers and gave him a grateful look. The bartender nodded.

"Luke's a good guy." Ororo muttered. "And a way better friend than you deserve." She buckled him in.

"While you're down there." He said, running a hand through her hair.

"Logan." She said through gritted teeth. "You have a metal skeleton and I can summon lightning. " She pulled away from him and glared. "I just drove all the way down to Hell's Kitchen to save your sorry ass, stopped you from rotting in jail, and paid your bar tab. So don't test me."

She got into the driver's side and turned on the ignition. They drove in silence and promptly got stuck in traffic on the 95. Ororo closed her eyes and exhaled in frustration; the cars weren't moving; they were trapped.

"I screwed up." Logan mumbled.

"Really?" Ororo said, staring resolutely forward. "What gave you that impression?"

"Jean"

"For fuck's sake." Ororo growled, Logan stared at her wide eyed; she rarely pulled out the big curses but tonight she was too frustrated to censor herself. "Not this again. Jean is never leaving Scott, Logan. I don't know why she keeps toying with your emotions and she's my best friend but I am sick and tired of picking up after her mess. You need to wise up and realize that you could do better."

"But-"

"I don't want to hear it." She said, and outside lightning flashed and clouds rolled in, looming ominously overhead.

Logan looked taken aback. Usually Ororo would listen and offer kind words of consolation. He'd witnessed her temper before, but it had never been directed at him. She had more patience than most for his shit.

"Ro." He began.

"I don't want to hear it." She said. "I want silence. All the way to the institute."

"Ro"

"SILENCE." Her exclamation was enhanced by the thunder that roared outside. Logan looked away. It took them 4 hours to get the Institute and neither of them spoke a word. When Ororo pulled up in front of the institute, she stopped the car. Neither of them moved.

"You should clean yourself up." she said tonelessly. "Wouldn't want Jean to see you like this."

"Ro." Logan said. She turned to glare at him. "Thank you."

She nodded stiffly. Then got out of the car. "Take it back to the garage." She said, going inside. The next morning Scott's motorcycle had been stolen and Logan was gone on one of his trips.

* * *

"Where's Logan?" Jean asked one morning about 2 weeks later. She'd joined Ororo in her morning yoga session.

"How should I know?" Ororo said, stretching and trying to empty the jumble of her mind. She'd worried that her friend would try to initiate this conversation and in her current emotional state it was unlikely that it would have a good outcome. She was grateful for her mental shielding so Jean didn't know what was on her mind.

"He just, disappeared and he hasn't left any word." Jean sighed. Ororo gritted her teeth and sat on her yoga mat, this was going to take a while. "I'm worried about him."

"Are you?" Ororo asked, her voice cold.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jean frowned. She might not be able to read Ororo's mind, but there was no mistaking the tone.

Ororo shook her head. "I'm done being the designated cleanup crew to your soap opera. The next time Logan and Scott decide to take it to the lawn, I'm not raining them out. I'm through driving to every bar in a 30 mile radius to pull Logan's ass out of whatever mess he lands himself in. I'm done talking Scott down when he decides to leave. I'm…" She shook her head. "Jean. This isn't funny, this isn't cute. Scott is a good man and Logan is…Logan, and neither of them deserves you playing with their emotions." She bit her lip. "You're my best friend, but I'm done fixing your drama."

Jean crossed her arms. "No one asked you to 'fix my drama'."

"This team is my family." Ororo said. "And I don't want my family to be hurt, but I'm tired." She turned away from Jean. "Now either join me doing yoga or get out."

Jean watched her thoughtfully. Then she began stretching next to Ororo. "He talks to you more than anyone else." She said softly after about 10 minutes of silence.

Ororo exhaled loudly. "I'm going to my room." She said, getting up.

* * *

Logan came back 3 days later. Ororo was in the garden enjoying the sunshine while tending to her own personal part of the grounds. She sensed him behind her, but didn't say anything. They stayed that way for a while, her on her knees in the dirt, tending to her plants him watching her.

"So, you going to help? Or is your plan to block the sunlight?" She said.

"Depends." Logan moved forward and crouched next to her.

Ororo raised an eyebrow.

"On?" She said.

"Whether or not you're still mad at me." He said.

"I'm always mad at you." Ororo said. "Help me with these roses." She motioned towards the flowers that she was planning on planting. Logan nodded. They worked side by side in silence. It was strangely comfortable and natural.

"Do you want me to get the hose?" Logan asked when they were done.

"No need." Ororo smiled as rain began to fall lightly on her flowers from a single cloud over head. Logan watched, transfixed…until Ororo directed the cloud to pour on his head.

"Hey." He growled, trying to evade the water.

"Now I'm not mad at you." Ororo said, smirking and getting to her feet. She turned, intent on going back to the institute, when Logan grabbed her from behind and pulled her under the cloud.

"Shut it off, Ro." He growled.

"You think I'm afraid of getting a little wet?" she countered, elbowing Logan in the stomach. Logan grunted, but didn't let her go; she'd doubted that it would work, but it had been worth a try. "Really don't want to hurt you." She said.

"I'll heal." Logan said, he was breathing heavily. His stumble brushed against her ear, making her shiver. She'd been alone ever since 6 months ago when she'd returned from Wakanda, and she really didn't want to think about that now. Not when Logan was pressing her against him and caressing her arms gently. She closed her eyes and relaxed into his touch, the pouring rain lessening to a slight drizzle. Leaning back, she let him nuzzle her neck. He turned her around slowly. "I missed you, Ro." He said, pressing her against him, running a hand through her hair. "So, so much." It was when he leaned forward intent on kissing her that she came to her senses. Blasting him with a face full of hot air, Ororo used the wind to push him far away from her. She cleared the cloud.

"No." She said. Then she walked away leaving a bewildered and soaked Logan in the garden.

* * *

He sat next to her at dinner. She ignored him, talking instead to Remy who'd just come back from New Orleans. He didn't try to join their conversation, and left to go to his room. Ororo noted that he hadn't said a word to Jean all night.

She was reading while getting her hair braided the next morning when he walked in to the hair salon and sat across from her. She glanced up from her book and frowned at him. "What are you doing?"

He shrugged. "You always say you get bored during these sessions."

"And you thought you brooding in front of me would make me less bored?" Ororo asked, her attention returning to her book.

"Maybe I'm bored." He said. "And maybe we need to talk."

"This isn't the place." Ororo said.

"That's what you think." He smirked. "Don't these appointments usually take up to 7 hours? I've got you trapped."

"Is this your boyfriend?" the woman doing her braids asked.

"No." Ororo said, glaring at Logan who was looking smug. "He's my…" She trailed off unable to find a satisfactory word to describe him. "He's leaving."

"Ro." Logan said, but she opened the book and ignored him, darkening clouds outside warning him not to cross her. He huffed and left, slamming the salon door behind him.

"It looks good." He said when she got back to the Institute. He was waiting for her in the entrance

"Thank you." Ororo said. "If you wanted to have that talk now-"

"Logan." Jean called out from the top of the stairs. "I've been looking for you. Where have you been?" She was smiling broadly. Ororo rolled her eyes. So that's why Logan was so desperate to get back into her good graces.

"Ro." Logan said.

"I'll leave you alone." She said, turning.

"Wait." Logan said, coming in front of her to block her.

"I told you already." She said. "I'm done dealing with this mess. I've got my own life to live, Logan." She looked up at Jean. "And you've got your own mistakes to make." She pushed past him, going up the stairs to her room. She shut the door, leaning against it and trying to make sense of her swirling emotions. She had wanted to kiss Logan in the garden. It had surprised her how much she'd wanted it, but she respected herself too much to be Logan's consolation prize because he couldn't have Jean. She deserved better than that. Shaking herself, she decided to take a page out of Logan's book and leave the institute for a while; to clear her head and distance herself from her emotions. Opening her window she flew out just as Logan opened the door to her room. He walked to the sill watching as she flew off into the sky.

* * *

So they fell into an awkward routine. Ororo taught her classes, meditated and tended to her garden. She ran simulations in the Danger Room and helped the various other inhabitants of the institute with their problems. She avoided Logan. He'd tried confronting her, but after the 3rd time she blew him off he stopped. Probably to chase after Jean.

She was sitting in the garden reading when Logan found her a few weeks later.

"If I sit here will you leave?" He asked.

Ororo raised an eyebrow, but shook her head.

"Good, because I need my Ro back." He said, sitting next to her on the bench.

"Why? Girl problems?" Ororo said sarcastically.

"Actually, yes. Don't-" he said, putting his hand on her arm as she made to leave. "It's not what you think."

"I'm think that I have better things to do then listen to another Logan pity party." Ororo sighed. "Let go."

"It's true that at first I wanted to talk to you because I needed the support you always give me, but…" he paused, running a hand through his hair. "Then I realized I don't want that anymore. I…Ro you're the only one here who really puts up with my shit even when I treat you bad. I –"

"You're projecting your feelings towards Jean on me because who you actually want isn't available." Ororo said. "Logan, I care for you, but I'm no one's consolation prize." She pulled her arm away from him and walked away.

* * *

Logan glared in frustration at Ororo's retreating back. What had changed in the last 3 months that made her so reticent? He'd known her to be private, but this was different. He went back to the Institute and sought out Hank in his study.

"Furball." He said.

"Logan." Hank had climbed his bookshelf to reach a particularly high book. "How might I assist you today?"

"I need to ask you about Ororo." He looked hesitantly over at the collective works of Freud inside which he knew Hank had stashed the good stuff. "and I am definitely going to need some of that."

Hank chuckled and climbed down the bookshelf. "Looks like someone is finally coming to their senses."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Logan growled as Hank walked over to pull a bottle of whiskey out of his copy of "Interpretation of Dreams."

Hank sighed and poured both of them a glass. "Just that Ororo's been carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders ever since she arrived at the Institute. She's always solved everyone's problems, but never taken time to consider hers. I think she's finally decided to put herself first." He handed Logan a glass. "Which is going to lead to some changes around here. I don't think everyone has quite realized how much we rely on her and what that reliance has cost her."

"Are you talking about T'Challa?" Logan growled. "Ro said that the split was mutual."

Hank sadly shook his head. "In matters of the heart, things are rarely that simple."

"What?" Logan said. "Why wouldn't she fight for the relationship if she still loved him?"

Hank shrugged. "A question you need to ask her not me." He took another sip. Logan contemplated the information. Ororo had come back from Wakanda about 6 months ago. He'd heard about the annulment, but she'd been carrying herself so well, he'd thought she was fine…how could he not have seen how much she'd been hurting? And to pile his problems on her shoulders. He felt sick and ashamed, two feelings he was familiar with, having done so many things he regretted, but there was something about letting Ororo down that was different. It was as though he'd violated some sacred trust between them.

"Thanks Hank." He said.

She wasn't at dinner. Kitty told him that no one had seen her since the let out of her last class. He'd knocked at her door, but no one was inside. He could have asked the professor, but he viewed the difficulty in finding her as his punishment for not being there for her sooner. He'd begun to lose hope of finding her when an alarm went off, signaling a breach of the school grounds. He rushed out to investigate and there she was; hovering above the school…fighting Juggernaut. Hurling lightning and wind at the other mutant she looked like an all-powerful goddess, which, he mused, she was to some people.

Letting out his claws he rushed forward.

"Need some help?" he asked. Ororo raised an eyebrow.

"If you think you can keep out of the way." She said.

Poor Juggernaut had no idea what hit him. Logan had never seen Ororo so angry and focused. She'd been bottling up her emotions inside and finally she had a place to let them out. Juggernaut could take more punishment than other mutants and looking at the rage in Ororo's whitened pupils, Logan almost felt sorry for the bastard. A wind with the force to tear the trees from their roots hit Juggernaut, who stood firm against the onslaught. Logan jumped on to his back and slashed the clips holding his helmet in place, the other mutant too distracted by Ororo to notice what Logan had done until it was too late. Logan saw the moment Charles entered into Juggernaut's mind, urging him to surrender and leave the school alone.

Ororo landed in front of the defeated Juggernaut, her chest heavily with the exertion of her powers. Logan walked over to her, uncertainly. "Ro, you okay?" She looked at him, her normally blue eyes still swirling white with the presence of her power. He wouldn't say he was afraid of her in that moment, but he wasn't going to cross her either. "It's me, Ro. You saved us. You stopped him." He murmured putting his hand on her shoulder.

She closed her eyes, inhaling slowly. When she opened them again her eyes were their usual crystal blue. Logan relaxed his stance. She swayed slightly, the toll of letting out her emotions weighing on her. He scooped her up as she fainted and carried her inside, ignoring the others who were looking at them strangely.

She'd be so pissed when she woke up. He mused as he put her down on her bed. He'd have to make up with her before ribbing her about being a shrinking violet, though. At least if he wanted to keep his balls.

* * *

Ororo woke with a pounding headache. "What happened?" She groaned, pressing a hand to her temple.

"You're in trouble." A gruff familiar voice said from the corner of the room. "I made some of that leaf juice you like."

"It's called herbal tea." Ororo retorted. "And what did I say about coming into my room uninvited?"

Logan chuckled as he watched her reach for the mug and stare at it cautiously. "It ain't poisoned." He said.

She took a sip. It was somehow still warm, for which she was grateful. "Thank you." She said. "Now why am I in trouble?"

"Because you've been hiding things from me." Logan said.

"What?" Ororo asked.

"What happened with T'Challa, Ro?" Logan asked.

"It didn't work out and –"

"No." Logan cut her off. "That's the bullshit excuse you gave to placate us. Now what really happened?"

"Why do you care all of a sudden?" Ororo asked.

"I always care, Ro." Logan looked ashamed. "It's just sometimes I need to get my head out of my ass to realize what's going on around me."

Ororo snorted in spite of herself. "You said it, I didn't."

"Don't think you're changing the subject on me." Logan replied, smirking at her joke.

"The Wakandan council of elders could no longer tolerate a queen whose time was spent away from her wifely duties." Ororo began slowly. "They wanted me to produce an heir and stay in Wakanda. It meant that I would have to give up the X men." She hung her head. "I loved T'Challa, but this place, these people are my family. I did not want to choose." She looked outside. "He made the decision for me and annulled the marriage."

She heard the familiar sound of Logan's claws coming out. "Looks like I need to carve me some panther steaks."

"That's not necessary." Ororo said. "He was doing what was best for his people. Marrying me was a rebellious act of love, but he is a king and a king does not have the luxury of…" The mantra she'd been repeating to herself felt forced. She didn't realize she was crying until Logan had pulled her into his arms. She pressed her face into his well-worn plaid shirt and let out everything she'd been repressing. "It's a load of bullshit, isn't it?" She murmured.

"Language, Ro." Logan chuckled. "I expect better from you." He rested his cheek on her head. She closed her eyes. "Why didn't you tell me?" she heard him ask softly.

"I…I did not want to burden anyone else with my problems." She admitted.

Logan snorted. "So it's okay for us to dump our crap on you, but not the other way around?" Ororo wrinkled her nose.

"Not the best analogy." She said eliciting another low chuckle from Logan.

"Talk to me, Ro." He said, running his fingers through her hair. "Tell me what happened."

So she did. For the next 2 hours she told him everything that had transpired in Wakanda and he sat there and listened, not judging.

"We would have understood if you stayed." He said softly when she was done. She snorted.

"You wouldn't have last 5 minutes."

"Is that the only reason you stayed?" he asked. "Because you couldn't face the thought of not mother henning us?"

"That is NOT what I do." Ororo glared at him.

Logan frowned. "It kinda is." He tugged on one of the small African braids she'd put into her hair. "No other reason?"

"Logan." She looked up at him. "Can we focus on learning to be friends again before we discuss what almost happened in the garden?"

Logan contemplated it. "Whatever you need, Ro." He said finally.


	2. Chapter 2

In the weeks following Ororo and Logan's heart to heart the two of them circled around each other like awkward teenagers. At least that was Logan's impression of the situation. In any other case he'd have already made his move by now, but this was Ro. If he screwed this up then he'd have no one to turn to, no solace to run back to. He was terrified. For her part, Ororo was her usual kind and gentle self; he was the one who was tripping over his own feet whenever she came near.

And everyone noticed. Kitty smirked and played weather related love songs whenever he came into a room. She was lucky he was trying to avoid killing people, because every time he heard that stupid umbrella song it made him want to slice things. Kurt not so subtly left pieces of romantic German poetry with lines circled that he should read to her. That stupid swamp rat Remy flirted outrageously with her to get a rise out of him.

Then there was Jean. She'd probably known about his feelings for Ro before he had. He'd been spending so much time with Ororo, that he hadn't even noticed how much distance he'd put between them, until the day she came to him. He was walking out of the Danger Room with Rogue and Kurt when she approached him.

"You've been avoiding me." Jean said. Logan frowned.

"Not intentionally." He said, at least it hadn't been a conscious choice.

"We both know that's not true." Jean said. He stepped back uneasily. What he had with Ro was so new and he didn't want anything to jeopardize it. "I talked to her." Jean continued. "Ororo, I mean. She's…" Jean looked at the ground. "She somehow is still okay to be my friend even if this is the weirdest situation ever."

"Ro's a special person." Logan said, softly. Jean nodded.

"I guess this is where I give the best friend speech and warn you not to hurt her." Jean said.

"Maybe you should have given that speech to T'Challa." Logan suggested. Jean winced. "I'd never hurt her." He continued. "I…" There was a shift in the air and he sensed her before he could see her. He glanced past Jean and there she was, walking towards the Danger Room, deep in conversation with Hank. "Gotta go." He moved past Jean and tried really hard to make it look like he wasn't running to get to Ororo. If the amused look on Hank's face when he stopped in front of him and Ororo was any indication, he'd failed miserably.

He shot the furball an irritated look before turning his full attention on Ororo. She raised an eyebrow at his training outfit. He glanced down and realized it was caked in sweat and blood.

"I see we've been terrorizing the students again." She shook her head and reached a hand out to run her fingers across the slash on his shoulder.

"This was all Rogue." He said. "Somebody decided to absorb my claws." He shot Rogue a pointed look as she passed.

"Sorry." Rogue mumbled.

"Don't apologize, I'm proud." He was; if the exercise were a competition, Rogue would have definitely won. Ororo laughed.

"We have the only school where students are rewarded for assaulting the teachers." She said. Hank nodded. Logan cleared his throat.

"My dear I just remembered." Hank said. "I have an experiment I need to check on. I must return to my lab and abandon you in Logan's company. Forgive me?" He clasped Ororo's hand. Logan resisted the urge to growl, but only barely.

"Oh, I think I can." Ororo sighed dramatically. Smiling at Hank as he left she waited until they were alone in the hallway before playfully smacking Logan's chest.

"Ouch." He said.

"Hank's never been irresponsible enough to leave an experiment alone in his life." She said. "Why did you scare him off?"

"Because I wanted you to myself." Logan said. "I had something to ask you."

"Oh?"

"Friday, are you busy?"

"Remy was going to teach me how to count cards." Ororo said. Logan crossed his arms.

"Was he?" He grumbled, imagining painful retribution for the Cajun. "He's got you gamblin'?"

Ororo burst out laughing. "Sorry, it was too easy." She said. "You've been so on edge whenever he's near me."

"Can you blame me?" Logan retorted. "I know you like the bad boys."

Ororo gave him a kiss on his cheek. "Only one." She said. "Pick me up from the teacher's lounge at 8." She turned to leave.

"Hey," Logan said, panicking; he'd been hoping to have at least an hour with her. "We've got the rest of the afternoon."

Ororo paused. "I have papers to grade and you-" She looked down at his uniform, "have a shower to take."

"You could join me?" He suggested, knowing she wouldn't take the bait. He'd have to work harder for that level of intimacy. Ororo shook her head and walked away.

* * *

The date was an unmitigated disaster. He'd planed a romantic picnic by the lake on the grounds and of course that's when the Brotherhood of Mutants decided that their Friday night activity would be to ruin his. He'd taken out his anger on them (Toad wouldn't be able to hop for a month) and even that wouldn't take away the sting of annoyance and embarrassment that he felt when he turned to face her.

"Sorry, Ro." He said. Ororo looked at him and laughed.

"For what?" She said, looking down at the ruins of their picnic. "Come on, Logan you have to admit, this isn't very you."

"Yes it is." He insisted stubbornly.

She shook her head. "Since when do you wear ties?" She retorted, looking at the piece of cloth he'd put on to appear put together. "You didn't have to impress me."

He gaped at her. She held out her hand. "Come on. I have a better idea. Though…" She came closer, the smell of her floral perfume and the slight crackle from the lightning bolt she'd summoned a few minutes earlier overwhelmed him and made the blood roar in his ears. She was inches away from him; her blue eyes sparkling with amusement. "I think they won't let you in if you're wearing this tie." She wound her fingers around it and pulled him in for a kiss. He felt light headed, and grabbed her, putting his hands around her waist, trying to taste the lightning and thunder.

Then he realized that his dizziness was a result of the fact that they were flying. He broke their kiss. "Ro?" He asked.

"Just hang on." She grinned. That was how they ended up in Luke's bar in Hell's Kitchen; the two of them drinking beer and laughing in a corner booth eating bar food and playing silly songs on the jukebox. It was easy; it was them. Ororo flew them home, the two of them breathless and giggling. The professor was coming out of the library and gave them an amused look before leaving.

When he woke the next morning she was sleeping half on top of him. Her face was pressed against his neck, her arm on his chest and one of her legs between his. His arm was around her waist and he brought her closer; unable to resist running his hand along the edge of her shirt. She sighed slightly and shifted. They were in his room, still wearing their clothes from the previous night. He glanced out the window. The sun was just rising and the sky was turning a light shade of blue. It was going to be a hot sunny day. She'd probably spend time in the garden. He smiled as he thought of the last time he'd helped her with her plants. The day he'd tried to kiss her and she'd pushed him. She'd forced him to get his head out of his own ass and now he had the most amazing woman he knew next to him in bed.

"Is it the morning or are you happy to see me?" she mumbled into his neck. She moved slightly, her hip rubbing against the bulge in his pants.

"Little bit of both." He said, kissing her forehead. She grinned and pressed her lips against his neck. Lazily she moved so she was completely on top of him.

"Last night was fun." She said. Her hair slightly askew and her eyes still half closed.

He nodded, wondering how he'd lived so long without the sight of her in the morning. She pressed her lips against his. She tasted like last night's beer, morning breath and Ro. He was falling and he knew there was no way back up. He groaned, one of his hands sliding down her back to cup her ass while the other made its way to her hair. She pulled back and for a second he thought she'd get up and leave. But then she gave him a teasing grin and began kissing her way down his neck. Getting to the hollow at the base of his throat she began opening his shirt, using her tongue and teeth to leave little marks on his chest that faded seconds after they were made.

"Ro." He growled as she made it to the top of his pants. She looked up at him; her eyes wide and innocent, but he wasn't fooled; she had a plan.

"Logan." She said, one of her hands reaching to cup him through his pants.

He closed his eyes and focused all his control on not rising to meet the touch. "You sure?" He asked, his voice sounding slightly strangled.

She looked at vaguely insulted. "Am I the kind of person who does anything I'm not sure about?"

He was about to reassure her that of course he knew that when she opened his pants and reached inside to draw him out. Winking at him, she licked her lips then drew her tongue around his tip.

"Roooo." He hissed as she began taking him in. She chuckled, the muscles in her throat vibrating and making him clutch the sheets as he tried to regain control of the situation. He was not a 12 year old boy; he would not be embarrassing himself by coming within the first 5 seconds, he told himself. In the end he lasted 54 before he managed to gasp out a hushed, "Ro I-", as warning before he came. She looked up at him; grinning as she drew a finger across her lips.

"Get up here." He growled reaching down for her and pulling her up to him. He rolled her on her back. He kissed her, the taste of himself on her tongue awakening his possessive instincts. She was his. She pushed him up.

"I expect you to reciprocate." She said, crossing her arms. He could smell her arousal in the air and it was beginning to stir up his own again. Thanking his healing for his short refractory period, he opened her arms.

"Ro, darlin'. That is definitely part of the plan."

Ororo looked up at Logan as he took off her shirt and bra. Closing her eyes she hummed slightly as he took one of her breasts into his mouth. He was going slow, deliberately tasting every inch of her, which would be fine if she weren't desperate for him to get to the main event already. She pushed his shoulder, trying to get him lower but he only nipped the side of her breast.

"Patience, Ro." He said.

"Easy for you to say." She huffed, "you already…oh," she breathed in a sigh. "Logan." He'd slipped his fingers under her skirt and rubbed them against her panties. Her eyes fluttered closed, then his fingers were gone. She opened them, with the full intention of giving him a death glare, but when she met his eyes she faltered. She was beautiful; she was aware of that, but it didn't change the fact that no man had ever looked at her as intensely as Logan was.

"Say it again." He growled.

She blinked at him. What did he want her to say?

"My name, Ro." He said. "Say it."

She rubbed her hand on his cheek, feeling the stubble, then slipped her hand to the back of his head to grip his hair and pull him closer. Her lips were almost a breath away from his when she whispered. "Then give me what I want."

Logan grinned. "That's my girl." He said, moving down to pull off her skirt and underwear. "Gonna make me work for it, are ya?" he said, kissing his way back up the inside of her leg. "You tried to mark me earlier." He said as he paused mid-thigh. Ororo could feel his breath as he exhaled. Squirming, she tried to get closer to his mouth, but he shook his head and put a hand to her hip to hold her in place, "ah ah, not yet." He sucked a hickey onto her leg. "These are gonna stay, darlin'." He growled. Then he went up, over her hip, deliberately ignoring where he knew she wanted him most. She closed her eyes, a thin layer of sweat covering her body, her legs quivering, But if Logan was stubborn, it was nothing compared to her.

"I'm not going to beg, Logan." She said, frowning at him.

"I'd never ask you to." He said. Reaching for the bedside table, he pulled open a drawer and pulled out a condom. Ororo raised an eyebrow.

"Someone was prepared." She commented.

"Someone didn't want to have to make an embarrassing run to the pharmacy and kill the mood." Logan muttered as he opened the wrapper. Sliding it on, he pressed his forehead against hers, his eyes looking straight at her as he silently pushed in. Ororo let out a small groan and grabbed his arms. He parted his lips softly. "Ro." He whispered.

"Logan." She said in response. He closed his eyes and began to move. Ororo squeezed her legs around his waist and rolled her hips in time with his thrusts. They kissed sloppily, but neither of them cared. Logan let out a little growl as he pressed her harder against the mattress. Ororo nipped his lower lip and pushed back, making Logan gasp.

Later, as Ororo closed her eyes in contentment, Logan ran his fingers down her spine.

"You don't need the title, Ro." He said, his voice hushed. "You're better than a Queen; you're a goddess."

"There are those in Kenya who'd agree with you." She mumbled, turning to look at him. The sun was fully up and the light can in the window illuminating Logan's hair which was sticking up at wilder angles than usual. She smiled and pulled him down for a kiss. "So." She murmured against his lips. "It's come to my attention that you haven't upheld your end of a deal."

Logan smiled. "We've got all day, Ro." He said, rolling her on to her back, "but you're right; I wouldn't want to upset my goddess."

* * *

"I hate this" Logan growled, crossing his arms and squirming in his seat. "Whose dumb ass idea was this?" he was glaring at his reflection in the mirror. Ororo was standing behind him, combing back his hair. He was wearing a black tux with the shirt half open and the bow tie untied. Ororo was wearing a dark red dress, her hair done in an upsweep. She gave Logan a kiss on the forehead.

"Kitty thought a formal dance would make this seem like a real high school." She said, amused.

"Why would anyone want this to be a real high school?" Logan grumbled "High school ain't all it's cracked up to be."

"Logan, don't pretend you even remember going to high school." Ororo said, shaking her head. Logan huffed. "Now hold still, I would have finished this 20 minutes ago if you stopped fidgeting."

Logan fixed his eyes on her reflection in the mirror and wondered for about the hundredth time how he'd gotten so lucky. "Well, one thing's for sure; I didn't have a date as hot as you in high school."

Ororo raised an eyebrow. "That's probably because black people weren't allowed to go to school when you were in high school."

"How old do you think I am?" Logan frowned.

"Depends, how old is dirt?" Ororo teased, smiling. Logan scoffed, then tilted his head thoughtfully

"I'll show you, dirt." He stood and turned. Ororo recognized the hungry gleam in his eyes.

"Logan." She said, holding up her hand to keep him back. "We promised Kitty and Jubilee we'd be there. On time."

"Ro," he rumbled.

"Logan"

"If you really wanted to stop me." He moved the chair back, stepping closer. "You would."

"Logan." She sighed.

"I'm not hearing any no's, Ro." He took another step forward and took one of her hands in his. "All I'm hearing is you saying my name, and you know how much I like that." He pulled her closer, pressing his hand on her lower back. "Shouldn't have worn this dress." He said. "If this even qualifies as a dress." He ran his fingers up her spine, teasing her by touching the exposed skin from the cut off back. She leaned into his touch.

"Want me to stop?" he asked.

"They'll know what we're doing." She said.

"I think they got the hint about 3 weeks ago when I walked out of your room at 2 in the afternoon after causing you to make a rainstorm." Logan grinned, urging her backwards, and pressing her against the wall.

"That wasn't because of you." Ororo grumbled. "I- ah. Do that again." She moaned as Logan began trailing kisses down her neck, drawing her dress down as he went.

"Was that an order?" he asked. Pulling back, he gripped her thighs, picking her up. Ororo wound her legs around his waist and put her arms on his shoulders.

"I did used to be a queen." She said.

"You're more than that, Ro." Logan looked at her earnestly, then he grinned at her wickedly, "and you can order me around anytime."

Ororo's breath caught. "So." She said, her voice soft. "How do you feel about ditching this dance?"

"I thought you'd never ask." He said, pulling her off the wall and walked towards the bed, capturing her lips for a kiss. "Fair warning; I'm going to mess up this hair you worked so hard on." Ororo laughed. "And yours is going to be unsaveable." He continued, putting her down. "I might spare the dress though"

"Oh?" Ororo asked "How considerate of you."

* * *

"Where are they?" Kitty hissed. "They should have been here hours ago." She glared at the wall, and made her way towards it, a determined expression on her face.

"Kitty, I wouldn't-" Piotr said, reaching out an arm to hold her back.

"No. This is unacceptable." Kitty phased through the wall, planning on giving Logan and Ororo a talking to. About 30 seconds later she stumbled back through the wall as thunder rumbled outside. Covering her eyes, she ran into the center of the party.

"Ummmm. No one bother them." she said. "Not now, not ever."


End file.
